Leaving on a jet plane to Chile – soon

Only 21 hours to go. And Walter wombat is filling those big boots nicely. Looking forward to some great times and views and mountains and glaciers in Patagonia in both Chile and Argentina.
Then there is that little boat trip to Antarctica 🙂
My friends, neighbours and coach will all be coming up here to feed and ride and take care of everything. Don’t think the horses will miss me at all as there will be more people here than usual. Thanks to all.

Patagonia and Antarctica photography trip

25 days and dare I say 17 hours before I hop on the plane.
My itinerary is pretty well set in stone. Several days in Chilean Patagonia exploring and photographing in the Torres del Paine National Park. Then on to Argentinian Patagonia and a few days around the Los Glaciares National Park, El Chalten and the Fitzroy Massif. Then down to Ushuaia and the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
These are just the side trips to get me to the Ultimate Goal – Antarctica. Two weeks on a ship crossing the infamous Drake Passage to the Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula and on across the Antarctic Circle.
I’ll spend the next 4 weeks getting all my gear together. Clothing is the easy bit. Camera gear is more important. I was hoping that Pentax Australia would be able to get me the up and coming Full Frame Pentax body before the trip, but it looks like I might have to make do with my other camera bodies.
I’ll be posting to Facebook www.facebook.com/PhotoSouth when I have decent internet access, but should be able to post more regularly to my WordPress blog www.gembrook.wordpress.com as I’ll be able to do so by email and include some pictures.

Photographic expedition to Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia and Antarctica

All bookings are made and tickets purchased

Now the days are ticking by and preparations are gradually underway. Deciding what Photographic gear to take is the hardest, which lenses to take, or what will I miss or not use after having carted it halfway around the world.

My two trusty Pentax bodies will definitely be along for the ride. I also aim to have a pocket-able point and shoot waterproof camera with me at all times.

A morning at the William Rickets Sanctuary

I took a day off from my holidays at home to explore the William Rickets Sanctuaryin the Dandenongs. Haven’t been there in many years and it hasn’t lost any of its beauty, charm and magic.
I recommend that any world weary people should visit and look and contemplate the sculptures and surroundings.
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/william-ricketts-sactuary-gardens-of-the-dandenongs

Test gallery

Didn’t place but didn’t come away empty handed from today winning a handy and tasty price in the raffle , being a bag of oaten chaff.

The showjump course was well built and well up to height. Even though it had rained most of last week, the ground held quite well being a sandy loamy sort of soil. Shame about the showjump warm up being way too small for a horse Occy’s size. It was jump, slow, turn, start again, jump, slow etc. So he didn’t really find his stride until halfway around the course. 2 rails but there weren’t many clear. And after Occy treating the first part of the dressage like the start of a Crosscountry it didn’t really matter too much. At least we’re back out there.

Mentone Combined Training

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Didn’t place but didn’t come away empty handed from today winning a handy and tasty price in the raffle , being a bag of oaten chaff.

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The showjump course was well built and well up to height. Even though it had rained most of last week, the ground held quite well being a sandy  loamy sort of soil. Shame about the showjump warm up being way too small for a horse Occy’s size. It was jump, slow, turn, start again, jump, slow etc. So he didn’t really find his stride until halfway around the course. 2 rails but there weren’t many clear. And after Occy treating the first part of the dressage like the start of a Crosscountry it didn’t really matter too much. At least we’re back out there.